Water conservation is becoming a major issue for many cities, towns, and communities, and an apparatus for monitoring water and water energy uses at specific residential, corporate, (or government) sites could be useful in supporting water conservation and in assessing and controlling water resources.
Several municipalities are considering or have enacted water conservation laws or ordinances. For example, currently the city of San Diego, Calif. has considered enacting an ordinance requiring new multi-housing to include a secondary means for monitoring water use. Florida's Miami-Dade County Ordinance August 14, effective on Jan. 1, 2009, defined restricted toilet, urinals, faucet and shower head water flow. California Assembly Bill 715 phases in lower flush volume requirements for water closets and urinals. Texas House Bill 2667 mandates showerhead ratings of <2.5 gallons per minutes and urinal flush volumes <0.5 gallons per flush. Los Angeles, Calif.'s High Efficiency Plumbing Fixtures Ordinance contains requirements to install high efficiency water fixtures for all new buildings and renovations.
For non-water related operations, the SmartMeter™ System, manufactured by GE and Landis+Gyr, collects electric and natural gas use data from a home or business. The SmartMeter's electric meter records and transfers residential electric use hourly, and commercial electric use in 15 minute increments. The SmartMeter™'s natural gas module (s) attached to a gas meters records daily gas use. The data collected by the SmartMeter™ is periodically transmitted via a secure wireless communication network. The SmartMeter™ system uses programmable solid-state meter technology that provides two-way communication between the meter at your home or business and the utility, using secure wireless network technology.
The solid-state digital SmartMeter™ electric meter records hourly meter reads and periodically transmits the reads via a dedicated radio frequency (RF) network back to a defined municipality. Each SmartMeter™ electric meter is equipped with a network radio, which transmits meter data to an electric network access point. The system uses RF mesh technology, which allows meters and other sensing devices to securely route data via nearby meters and relay devices, creating a “mesh” of network coverage. The system supports two-way communication between the meter and PG&E. SmartMeter™ electric meters can be upgraded remotely, providing the ability to implement future innovations easily and securely.
The electric network access point collects meter data from nearby electric meters and periodically transfers this data to defined municipality via a secure cellular network. Each RF mesh-enabled device (meters, relays) is connected to several other mesh-enabled devices, which function as signal repeaters, relaying the data to an access point. The access point device aggregates, encrypts, and sends the data back to the defined municipality over a secure commercial third-party network. The resulting RF mesh network can span large distances and reliably transmit data over rough or difficult terrain. If a meter or other transmitter drops out of the network, its neighbors find another route. The mesh continually optimizes routing to ensure information is passed from its source to its destination as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Most residential and commercial water supply lines have a primary water meter. However, the location of the primary water meter is usually not readily available or not in a convenient location for a commercial owner or occupier, or a resident to observe. Even if the primary water meter is available for review by a commercial owner or occupier, or resident, the display is a simple continuous or cumulative gauge that does not allow the reader to readily monitor their daily, weekly, monthly, and annual water uses. Furthermore, the primary water meter does not have the capability to wirelessly transfer water use information to a remote display (or recorder with data collection/database) that is conveniently located for review by the owner or occupant of a residence or building to encourage water conservation. In addition, the primary water meter only monitors commercial or residential supply water, and there is no capability to analyze hot and/or cold water use to provide water energy use information or distinguish between indoor and outdoor water use.
Accordingly, a need remains for a primary or secondary water monitor that is conveniently located in a commercial or residential setting and provides readily available water use in a format for encouraging water conservation.
Further accordingly, a need remains for a primary or secondary water monitor that is conveniently located in a commercial or residential setting that has wireless capability for displaying water use information to a remote display that is suitably located for observation by a commercial operator or occupier, or resident.
Further accordingly, a need remains for a primary or secondary water monitor that is conveniently located in a commercial or residential setting that has wireless capability for displaying and recording water use information for governmental or municipal operators or agencies.
Further accordingly, a need remains for a primary or secondary water monitor that is conveniently installed in a commercial or residential water supply line that captures hot and/or cold water use and can provide water energy calculation(s).
Further accordingly, a need remains for a primary or secondary water monitor that is installed in a commercial or residential water supply line that independently captures indoor and outdoor water use.
Further accordingly, a need remains for a primary or secondary water monitor that is conveniently installed in a commercial or residential water supply line that monitors for leaking conditions and can communicate this alarming situation by wireless communication to an owner or occupant of a residence or commercial building.